A More Familiar Stranger
by poetic licence
Summary: 8 years after the final battle against Voldemort after Ron's death, Harry is still missing and Hermione has tried to put her life back together. One day, she runs into a familiar stranger on the street. Welcome to the aftermath. HP/DM
1. A Familiar Stranger

**A More Familiar Stranger**

Chapter One

A Familiar Stranger 

What would happen if you were walking along one day

and you came across yourself standing in the street?

How would you greet yourself?

What would you say?

- Jostein Gaarder

~~ ~~~ ~~

Hermione Granger woke on Tuesday morning with a start.  She blinked around, dazed from sleep, her eyes finally resting on her illuminated clock that blinked at her.  5:54 AM – _too damn early, she thought to herself, having only stumbled into bed at just past midnight, tossing and turning for at least another couple of hours after that.  __But at least it's my day off._

She stared at the ceiling for a few long minutes before sighing deeply, knowing any attempts now to fall asleep were fruitless…she would just be woken up again at seven to the strains of the early morning cartoons.  She swung her legs out of bed and stood, bedraggled, at her gleaming kitchen bench waiting for the kettle to boil, unable to find her wand to do things the proper way.

She jolted at the thought of _doing things the proper way and scolded herself…just because she was a Witch, it didn't mean that she should go forgetting her Muggle up-bringing, even though she had been part of the Wizarding community for fifteen longs years, over half of her life.  She lifted her eyes towards the photo, framed and hanging on her dining room wall, the familiar faces grinning back at her.  She remembered the day, the occasion that had called for the photo to be taken.  _

It was at Fred and George's graduation from Hogwarts, and Colin Creevey, the Official Gryffindor Photographer, had gathered the pair, along with Ron, Ginny, Angelina, herself and Harry in front of the lens to capture the moment. _For prosperity Hermione had claimed back then, but now she simply looked upon it as a time of innocence and freedom.  Ginny glowed, hugging George so tightly that his face matched his hair; Ron and Fred were trying to disembowel each other with two of the twin's fake wands that were now a hot commodity all over England and Europe in general; Hermione herself was talking to Angelina; and Harry was, for once, taking the photo seriously, smiling faintly into the lens.  It was one of the only photos that Hermione owned, wizarding or otherwise, that held the three friends together, Harry had taken mountains of both her and Ron through the last few years that they were at Hogwarts, having received a camera from his Godfather, Sirius, but he rarely joined them himself, being somewhat fearful about putting himself forward too much.  Hermione sighed again, wiping away the old memories for now as she stirred milk into her tea and pulled a few papers out of her old leather satchel with her initial stencilled on in silver, a present from Ron for Christmas in their seventh year, and settled herself at the kitchen table, waiting for the noise of cartoons to fill the quiet house._

"Hermi, what are you doin' up?"

Hermione jumped, then turned to face Draco as he leaned against the kitchen doorframe, the oversized dressing gown hanging loosely on his frame, his face ragged and worn as the slippers that were practically falling off his feet.

"I couldn't sleep.  Did I wake you?"

"No you didn't, I was already awake."  Draco stumbled across to the table and plonked himself down opposite Hermione, looking faintly greyer than usual.

"I didn't even hear you come in last night, when did you get in?"

"About three.  The Prophet had me covering the latest of the Death Eaters trials, and they just kept going and going."  He shivered noticeably.  "Vincent Crabbe was sentenced to life in Azkaban."

"Oh Draco, I'm sorry," she placed her hand over his, watching the haunted face of her long time friend grow grey with revulsion.  "It must have been hard for you."

"You know, it actually wasn't, it was a relief.  I looked at him from my seat in the press box and felt _nothing, not once single ounce of hurt or sympathy, I just felt cold," Draco paused, omitting from his confession the fact that he had spent half-an-hour throwing up before coming home. "I have to keep telling myself that they have no claim on me anymore, that even though I was always destined to be one of them, I was able to change my destiny and __walk away."_

Hermione studied him and deciding, _yes, it was worth the consequences of bring it up. "I can't believe that eight years after Voldemort's downfall, we're still bringing Death Eaters, accused or otherwise, to justice.  That there are still followers, even though __he is gone, and __he's never coming back.  That this isn't like the first time that-" here she faltered. "-Harry-"_

Draco sighed deeply. "Yes…_Harry."_

The two sat in relative silence together, before Draco found his voice again.

"Dumbledore was at the trial."  Hermione looked up, her eyes smiling at the mention of Dumbledore. "And he told me to send his regards.  Seeing him again made me realise that he's getting very old…he looks it too, very worn down."

"Did he…did he say anything about…"

"No.  Still nothing, no one is Europe has being able to confirm a sighting…yes, there are always a few, every couple of months that swear to it, but nothing concrete.  Sometimes I just feel like…giving up."

"No!" Hermione spat viciously. "I refuse to give up. _Hope is all I have left and if I loose that, then what else do I have?"_

"You have Lily…and me.  You're not alone Hermi…you're not the only one who misses him." Draco felt tears come to his eyes. "Every day, I pray for him to come back, for him to come back and tell me that everything's going to be okay, that I'm not alone, that everything's fine because he's back and he's never going to go away again and-" Draco choked. "But the reality is that he's been gone for eight year, eight long years…he could be anywhere now, _anywhere.  We've tried everything…even Dumbledore says that it may be hopeless.  That we may never see him again and it…kills me inside-"_

Draco buried his head in his arms and Hermione rubbed his spine, soothingly.

"Uncle Dray?  What's wrong?" came a sweet voice from behind them.

Hermione swung around and smiled at her daughter.  "He's just a little upset sweetie."

Lily padded over to kiss her mother and Draco lifted up his head as she wriggled her way into his lap.  He mussed up her hair, the red curls bouncing prettily, her blue eyes wide and sparkling.  "Hey Princess," He kissed her warmly. "How're you doin'?  I missed you!"

"Missed you too," the little girl laughed, hugging him fiercely. "Please don't be sad Uncle Dray, I don't want you to be sad."

"I'm not sad.  How could I be sad with you around Lils?  Hey, you better get ready for school Princess, and if you're ready double time we'll walk to school, how does that sound?"

"Yeah!" she kissed him again and scrambled out of his embrace, her footsteps light as she ran for her room.

Draco watched her go with a sad smile.  "She's got her fathers eyes."

"Yes, she has, and his love for chess."  Draco laughed.

"Well, I'm going to have a shower and then I'm going shopping.  Is there anything we need?"

"Nothing that isn't already on the list.  Oh, another thing, I'm not going to be able to pick up Lily from school…they've got me interviewing the winners of the Puddlemere United verses Chudley Cannon's game this afternoon."

"That's fine, I can do it.  Oh, and say hello to Oliver for me okay?"  Oliver Wood, another Gryffindor, had been playing Keeper for Puddlemere United since he had left Hogwarts, and they saw him as often as they could, as well as his lover, Percy, another Weasley.

"Who says I'll be interviewing Puddlemere?"

"Oh come on…they're playing _The Cannons for goodness sake, how can they not win?"_

They both exploded into laughter at the thought of the Chudley Cannons actually _winning a game, being the running joke of the teams, having a longer loosing streak than followers…even the die-hard fans had pretty much given up on them._

~~ ~~~ ~~

Hermione hurried through the crowd, apologising constantly, huddled under her umbrella in a valiant effort to say dry, failing dramatically.  She couldn't remember the last time that she saw truly _horizontal rain.  __Probably Deloufous Diggle's doing yet again, messing around with rain spells she thought darkly, the wind whipping around her._

"Oh, oh sorry, sorry, excuse me. Off!" Hermione collided with somebody, hard, loosing her grip on her satchel.

The stranger, who wore black jeans, a thick black jacket and long black hair that spread tendrils, obscuring most of his face, stuck out his hand quickly and grabbed the satchel just before it reached the ground, saving it, and Hermione's precious work, from being completely ruined by landing in a puddle.  She stood there, amazed.

"Sorry about that," the man apologised hurriedly, handing her the satchel quickly. "Wasn't watching where I was going."

"My fault-" she stared to say, stunned, huddling the old satchel to her chest as the man side-stepped her careful, and she turned to watch him stride away again, shocked. "-completely."

She stared after the black-haired man even after he vanished from her sight, ignoring the shoving crowd around her, ignoring the wind whipping around her legs, ignoring the rain as it beat at her face and hands, forgetting that she was late, that she had to pick Lily up, everything around her.

_It was the black hair, she mussed, __and the quick reflexes.  __The hint of green eyes…_

The wind chose that very moment to turn her umbrella inside out.

Hermione clutched at it desperately and swore venomously.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Hermione was still thinking about the brief encounter days later.  She didn't mention it to Draco – _I mean, what could I say 'Hey Dray, you're going to think I'm crazy but I think I ran into Harry on the street the other day' – and she really did think she was going crazy.  She ran over the situation in her head so many times that she was worried she was making some of it up – not the reflexes, the messed-up hair, but the hint of green eyes – the glimpse of the telltale scar on his forehead.  __He hadn't even been wearing glasses for goodness sakes.  She scolded herself on thinking that he, the dark stranger on the streets, had been wearing __dragon-hide boots, and she dismissed it, put in down to wishful thinking._

She wasn't even sure that it had been Harry…it could have been just another look-alike.  Apart from the scar Harry had always faded into the crowd, especially when he wanted to.  She had always seen him as good-looking, his face handsome, his green eyes strickling, his body well built and muscular…but who knew how much he had changed over the past eight years.

She absent-mindedly picked some biscuits from a shelf, throwing them into the bottom of her supermarket trolley, not even wincing at the ominous crunch as they landed.  It was Saturday, _Supermarket Day, something that Draco, Lily and Hermione usually did together, but Draco had taken Lily to the museum to see an exhibition of Egyptian mummies and artefacts that she desperately wanted to see, having missed going with her class the week before because of a cold.  Lily had been bitterly disappointed and had made Draco swear to go with her to see it – __not that he minded Hermione grinned to herself._

Draco had surprised her many times over the years that they had lived together, and his embrace of Muggle art was one of the things that had shocked her the most.  He had simply shrugged, simply stating that 'Art had to be defined by the beholder – and I've always loved it, Muggle or not, it never really seemed to matter.  My father was always lenient with me when it came to art of Muggles.' Hermione had scoured bookshops for interesting books on art, Medieval, Contemporary, Renaissance, Abstract, it really didn't matter, and they had built a formidable collection of both books and art over the years, with Lily showing a keen interest in it too.

She was still grinning to herself, not really paying attention, when _it happened again._

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She had run over a foot with the wheel of her trolley, and did a double take.  This time she certainly wasn't imagining the dragon-hide boots, the long legs, the brown hands, the black clothes, the mussed up hair, there was no mistaking the emerald eyes.

It was _him._

"That's okay," he spoke casually, not really seeing her at all. "No harm done."

He walked away again, but this time, Hermione was not going to let him get away that easily.  She abandoned her trolley and strode quickly after him.  She caught up with him and placed one hand on his arm. "Excuse me?  Do I know you?"

He didn't even turn to face her as he answered her. "No, we've never met."

Desperately, she turned to her last resort, tears creeping into her eyes, she was so damned sure.  "_Harry?"_

The man, dressed in black, his black hair messy and gleaming, his skin golden brown, dragon-hide boots and all…stopped.  It was like his movements stopped when this voice from the past suddenly caught up with him, like a ghost from yesterday had reached out its hand and caught him by the sleeve and his heart_ stopped.  He half-turned, his face like ice, her hand still on his arm, his carefully constructed world tumbling down around him by a name that he had buried along with his best friend._

"Harry?" her tone was so desperate, clinging, making him choke.

Finally, he spoke, turning to face her, his voice barely a whisper. "'Mione?"

Hermione burst into tears suddenly, and he did what any old friend would have done, he wrapped his arms around her, somewhat awkwardly, gathering her to his chest and letting her flood his chest with her tears, smoothing her hair down with one hand.

And that's where they stood, for the longest of moments, while she cried, in the middle of a busy supermarket, two parts of a whole, together again.

~~ ~~~ ~~

TBC


	2. Hermione's Speech

****

Chapter 2  
_Hermione's Speech_

There's a field of lilies I dream of:  
of simple green pastures  
…and a dreamer waiting for me  
with a heart full of hope  
- Bella Kyles

~~ ~~~ ~~

At Hermione's insistence, Harry walked her back to her house some streets away, with her gripping his hand in a death grip as if afraid that he would vanish into thin air at any given moment…and since he could Apparate, it was a distinct possibility. They walked in some silence, weighed under with shopping, unsure of how to broach conversation.

It wasn't until they reached Hermione's house, and she was able to make them a very strong cup of coffee for them both and start putting the shopping away did any subject of the past invade their pleasantries. 

"Why did you go?" she spoke, facing her old-time friend as he leaned against the bench, sipping his coffee.

He smiled sadly. "You should know why Hermione, and if you don't, then you…don't know me as well as I always thought you did."

"You left because of Ron's death," she stated calmly, Harry flinching at her tone and Ron's name. "But it still doesn't explain why you left and didn't contact anyone…why you didn't at least write to me, or Sirius, or even Dumbledore…it's been eight years Harry! Eight bloody long years of thinking that you, of asking ourselves what we could have done, of thinking, in the backs of our minds that you were _dead_ for God's sakes! You just…_disappeared_. No 'thanks for everything', no 'goodbye', no nothing! Just gone…'Poof!'"

He shrugged helplessly, and she slogged on regardless.

"We've been searching for you for eight _years_ Harry. Sirius refused to give up, I refused to, Dumbledore still has his spies out…you almost killed us all by leaving. You almost killed _me _by _leaving_." She stopped, her eyes growing bright with emotion. "You just…left."

"Hermione-" his voice was pleading. "Please. Please stop." he fought to keep a check on his emotions. "Please, just let me explain something for a minute."

"Go ahead…I've been waiting eight years for an explanation!"

Harry put down his coffee cup and rested his chin on one, open palm. "Okay…well, I suppose I should start at the beginning." he sighed deeply. "After the graduation ceremony, after we had all packed up and was ready to go, I finally opened the letter from Ron that he had written to me, _just in case I don't make it out_, he told me, when he'd given it to me. I felt like that was the right moment to, my last few minutes standing in the only place I'd really ever loved. I'd loved Hogwarts, and every second there…with you and Ron, Dean and Seamus, Neville and Ginny, Fred and George, Angelina and Katie, Oliver and Alicia, Parvati and Lavender, Ernie and Justin, Padma and Hannah, y'know, the Old Crowd." Hermione nodded. 

"Hell, I even got to like the Creevey brother over the years, despite how annoying they could really be! But when I read Ron's letter…it stirred up so many memories…all the times that I _almost_ lost him, all the times I _almost_ lost you, all the times that _I_ dragged both of _you _into danger with me, and it was like I suddenly just…died. In my heart. And I felt so damned _responsible_…if he hadn't of been so adamant about being there, if I had just fought him on it enough, then he wouldn't be-" Here, Harry choked.

"Harry-" Hermione started. "It was never your fault…it was Voldemort's and he's dead, thank God. Christ…if you'd have just come to me, _talked_ to me, I could've told you that you weren't alone, but you just shut yourself off…in some ways it was like you weren't hurting at all. Like you were holding yourself together with sheer will alone."

"Oh I was hurting alright, and badly too."

"So, where did you go?"

"Well, after we got to the platform after that train ride back to London, after I'd said goodbye to you, I simply Apparated, and ended outside of Gringott's…I was meant to be meeting Sirius at the platform, but he must have been late, and we were all still racing around, and there were people everywhere, that no one noticed that I was gone. So I went into Gringott's, took out…oh, probably half the gold that was there and changed the whole lot into Muggle money. I left my trunk down there, only taking a few things…the photo album of my parents, a couple snaps of you, Ron and Ginny, and my wand. That's it…seven years worth of my life and all I had to show for it were some photos."

"Oh Harry."

"Anyway…I created new documents for myself before I left…I became James Evans-" Hermione let out a gasp and thumped her hand on the table with a cry of "I should've thought of that!" 

"-and I disappeared into the Muggle world. I had over a million pounds and once I'd bought myself some new clothes, I went straight to the airport and got on a plane. 

"I ended up in Australia, and I've been living in Sydney ever since. I've travelled, well, all over…I saw the outback and spent some time in Queensland and Victoria, I've done lots of bush walking all around the place, mainly in Tasmania, and I've been to New Zealand as well. I built myself a whole new life down there. I run some big department stores down there, called Evans, and we're a huge chain now, and that's why I'm back here…helping put together my latest store in London…well, I would've been if I hadn't been completely freaked out and walked away and left the team in charge."

Hermione looked at him shrewdly. "Who did you see?"

"Colin." 

"You're _still_ running away from _Colin_?" Hermione cracked up.

Harry nodded emphatically. "I didn't realise that he was working for The Times! So when he turned up at the store I high tailed it out of there, came here, and who do I run into…you! Although I think I would rather you over Colin any day!"

"Well…I'd have stuck with Colin." she suddenly said, seriously, folding her arms. "Because it's telling off time! Why didn't you ever write to us?"

"Oh 'Mione! In the first year…the first couple of years anyway, I was too angry…too depressed…I just needed to get away from the wizarding world completely. I just needed to vanish, to feel lost in a crowd. The Australian's didn't know me, they didn't know me as a saviour, they didn't see me at 'Harry Potter'…I was just James Evans, the rich kid with a funny scar. And by the time I got over myself, by the time I owned my first department store, I was so concreted into my life that I didn't want the change to end. I thought about writing to you, to Sirius…even to Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall…or Molly and Arthur…but my first thought was 'What if they don't want to know me now?' I was so painfully aware that I had just walked out on you all that I wasn't sure if I could just waltz back on in again."

"Of course we would have! We all would have Harry! Even Draco would have, and he almost died when you left you absolute thoughtless _bastard_!"

"Draco? You still see Draco?"

Hermione snorted. "In a manner of speaking. But don't change the subject! For Christs Sake Harry, I needed you back then! Ron was dead yes, but have you forgotten that we were going out…have you completely forgotten that I _was in love with him_?"

"Of course no-"

"For fucks sake Harry…I was _pregnant_!"

Harry stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "What?" he whispered.

"I—was—pregnant! One minute, life was great, the next, my boyfriend, and father of my child is dead, my other best friend goes into deep depression and disappears from my life altogether, my parents were both killed months before with Voldemort's 'Muggle Madness Disease', and I was two months pregnant! Can you imagine the torture I went through? I was grieving for my two best friends, trying hold another friend together because he was convinced that you had left because of him, and preparing myself to be a _mother_. God, if it hadn't have been for the Weasley's…they took me in when I had nowhere else to go…Molly, she was amazing, they all were, they became my family."

"What's…what's…" Harry's face crumpled, unable to comprehend what he had, regrettably, put his best friend through.

"Lily. My daughter's name is Lily, Harry. Lily Jayne Granger." Her tone was quiet, aware of his tears.

"Lily-" Harry's voice broke as he suddenly stepped across the kitchen to hug her and bear his soul. "I'm so sorry 'Mione, I'm so, so sorry…"

The two of them stood there for some long moments, arms wrapped around each other for the second time that day, Harry's face buried into her shoulder, crying like a child as he thought about Hermione's child, and what she must have gone through to survive everything. It was like his heart had been ripped open and it expanded to fit in a little girl that he hadn't known existed, and who probably didn't even know his name. The two separated and Harry furiously wiped at his eyes with a tissue while she put the kettle on again.

"What's she like?"

"Amazing. She loves reading…and chess, and has a fascination for Muggle things, just like Arthur, and loves practical jokes...I think that comes with having Fred and George as Uncles." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Probably." snorted Harry.

"Let's see…she's seven and a half, red hair, blue eyes, oh wait until she meets you Harry…she'll finally be able to put a face to the name that I've so constantly mentioned to her all these years!"

"She knows who I am?"

"Of course she does! For a long time, she was the only person I could really talk to about you…about my wayward best friend who I haven't seen in such a long time. I've told her everything about our time at Hogwarts, about you, about Ron, and all the trouble we used to get into!" she started to tick the list off on her fingers. "About the Philosopher's Stone and the Basilisk, about the Time-Turner and saving Sirius, about Norbert and getting stuck in the Forbidden Forest, about the Triwizard Tournament, fighting the dragon, being in the bottom of the lake, the third task. About Potions and Snape always picking on us, about McGonagall turning into a cat, about our own Animagus forms, about you turning into a golden griffin, about Ron turning into a falcon, about me turning into cat, and the trouble we used to cause. About Moaning Myrtle and her bathroom, trying to make a Polyjuice Potion, about sneaking into Hogsmeade, and the Marauders Map, about Fluffy, Hagrid and Fang, about Herbology with Professor Sprout, flying with Madam Hooch, about your endless trips to the hospital ward because you were constantly being hurt." Hermione paused for breath. "About how Ron and I set you and Draco up by handcuffing you together so you'd talk about your 'relationship' and how mad you both were about it afterwards, even through you were so bloody _happy_!"

Harry was staring at the ground, his eyes dark with emotion. "There's not a day goes by that I don't think of those days, of you, and Ron…and Draco."

"He gave everything up for you," Hermione was gentle again. "Everything. He turned his back on everything that we was brought up to believe in, everything that made up his world because he _loved you_, more than anything else. He gave up everything just to hold you, even though you both tried to deny it for so long."

"I miss him sometimes…actually I miss him a lot. I should probably go see him."

"Yes, you should, he'll be-" Hermione wry smile was interrupted by the door opening and the sound of stamping in the hall and her daughters voice.

"Mummy, Mummy! The Egyptians were great! Mummy!" a sweet, excited voice whipped around them, and Harry straightened, grinning at the sound of Lily's voice, instantly warming to her. Hermione smiled at him, but inwardly, she was nervous, _what is Draco going to say when he sees Harry?_

"In the kitchen sweetie!"

A small, brightly coloured whirlwind raced through the door, only to come to a screeching halt at the sight of Harry. Her red hair fell around her face in whipped up curls, her blue eyes sparkling with emotion, her creamy skin splattered with freckles and touched red from the wind outside. She stared at him a moment before putting two-and-two together in a very Hermione-like fashion.

"'Lo Harry," her young voice was soft, so soft that Draco didn't even hear her words as he strode into the kitchen behind her.

"Hey, Hermi, I picked up a new book at-" he faltered when he saw Harry standing there, shock crossing his face like lightning, looking like he was about to pass out, the bag with it's heavy contents clattering to the floor with a dull bang. Hermione watched the two of them carefully.

"Draco?" Harry spoke first. "But—but-" he turned to Hermione blindly.

She ignored him for a moment, concentration on her house-mate. "Draco…you're not dreaming. Trust me…it's really him."

"_Harry_?" Draco's voice suddenly spoke of anguish, of a long-buried hurt, of lonely days and sleepless nights, of wondering and uncertainty, of trying to move on and not being able to…of a lost love thought gone forever.

Harry nodded. "'S me Drake."

"Christ," Draco shook his head disbelievingly. "Hermi, put the kettle on, I think I need a coffee."

"I've got a better idea, why don't you go down to the cellar, drag up a couple of decent bottles of wine and I'll order us some Italian from that place down the street, and we'll all sit down and have a nice long _talk_." Draco nodded his ascent, walking through the door backwards, never taking his eyes off Harry as if afraid that he was just an illusion, and would disappear from sight immediately when Draco looked away. Harry simply looked stunned. He turned to Hermione and motioned for an explanation.

"I wasn't the only one that the Weasley's took it Harry…they also took in Draco. And when Lily was three we both decided to move out, and it just seemed sensible to move in together. For a long time, he was the only one I could talk to…he was my strength, and I was his." Hermione spoke simply, opening a side draw and pulling out a menu from it. Harry stared at her, before suddenly realising that Lily had planted herself at his feet and was staring up at him curiously.

"You must be Lily?" he spoke weakly, weathering under her gaze that was so reminiscent of her mother.

"Are you going to disappear again?" Lily spoke frankly, still staring. "Because if you are then go now before we can all get used to you, okay?" Her tone was plain and angry, knowing about what had happened the last time.

"I'm not going away again Lily…not without telling someone first. I learnt that from the last time!"

"Good!" Spoke up Lily, smiling suddenly. "Can I have a hug now?"

Harry burst out laughing before swooping down on one knee and picking the little girl up, and she became all hands and arms and legs and feet in his embrace. Still in his arms, she pushed the hair out of his eyes and off his forehead, to finally see that famous scar. She trailed a finger down it. Hermione chatted on the phone and she seemed to be ordering enough food to feed a small army.

"How long are you staying?" she asked, still tracing his scar.

"That's a very good question Lily," Hermione interrupted as she hung up the phone. "How long are you staying _this time_ Harry?"

Harry sighed deeply. "I suppose I'm stuck here for a little while I guess…I'll have to call London to see if they need me, but I could probably clear my schedule for a fortnight…but I'll have to go back to Australia some time."

"Fair enough. There's a phone behind you, you can stay here for the fortnight, we've got a perfectly nice guestroom that rarely gets used so you can use that, and _no arguments_, I'll call Molly and tell her to expect one more for tea tomorrow night, we always go around there for tea on Sunday's, it's a ritual, _no arguments_, and we'll go to Hogwarts for a couple of hours on Tuesday to see Dumbledore, I often pop up there to access the library, so there shouldn't be any hassles there, _no arguments_, and you'll have to write to Sirius, or better still _call him_ and let him know that you're _alive_ and organise for him and Remus to come around for a meal or three. And _no arguments _Harry James Potter!"

Harry gaped at her, coming to the quick conclusion that even _eight years_ couldn't stop Hermione when she got going.

"I wouldn't argue with her Harry, she can be very stubborn, as I'm sure you will remember." Draco had returned with several bottles of wine tucked under his arms.

"I remember," stated Harry, swinging Lily down to the ground, grinding his teeth together. "Vividly. Pass me the phone and I call the office and let them know."

"Done," laughed Hermione, doing just that. "Come on Lils, let's go get the food."

"'Kay." Lily reached for her mothers hand and the two walked out of the kitchen together, but not before Hermione could whisper some parting advice to Draco, who was now standing at the kitchen bench, opening a wine bottle after hunting for three (matching) glasses, which was no easy feat, considering he kept breaking them.

"Don't be too hard on him."

Draco waved them out as he listened to Harry on the phone, pouring wine into the three glasses with a soft slosh.

"Hi Philip, it's James…look, I'm not going to be able to make it back to London for another fortnight or so, is that going to cause any hassles…no, I've just run into some old friends and they want me to stay for a while…yeah…well, they're practically family…uh-huh, something like that…but look, I've got my mobile if anything desperate comes up but I have complete faith in you, so I'm sure if anything _does_ come up, you and Kathy should be able to take care of it…oh, and could you call my housekeeper and tell her to make sure…yes, you've got it…thanks for this Phil…I'll call in again in a week okay? Bye." He hung up and turned to find Draco staring at him, a mixed look of apprehension and longing, with just a trace of amazement at seeing him again.

"James?" he asked, holding out a wine glass for Harry, the blonde's hand shaking slightly.

"I changed my name." the awkwardness between the two men was huge, a valley between them that grew steadily.

"You've got an accent." 

"I've been living in Australia."

"Oh," Draco fumbled for words. "What's it like?"

Harry smiled wistfully. "Very green, very beautiful, very clean. Very laid-back. I don't know, it's just more relaxed, the people are more friendly, it feel like…home to me now. Kind of anyway."

"But?"

Harry shrugged at Draco's searching tone. "I suppose that England will always be my home…but Australia is my _adoptive home_…it's where my life is right now," he watched Draco not watching him. "But my heart will always be here."

Draco looked up, his blonde hair flopping in his eyes, his voice husky.

"Hermione thought we'd never see you again…I thought I'd never see you again."

"I know," he said sadly. "She told me. Repeatedly. And loudly too now that I think about it."

Draco gave a half-hearted laugh. "I…I missed you Harry. I though you leaving…I thought…that maybe…"

Harry plonked down his wine glass quickly, some of the wine splashing over the rim and pooling on the bench, he strode over to Draco who was now staring at the floor again and forced his face up with a hand under his jaw. "It had nothing, _nothing_ to do with you Draco…I didn't leave _because of you_…I promise you that!"

Draco looked up at him, his eyes round and expressive, the silver glinting in them, his lips quivering. "Why didn't you write? Why? Why didn't you at least write back to my messages? Did you even get them?"

Harry looked sad suddenly, running his thumbs along Draco's cheeks, palms cupping them. "I got them…but you've got to understand Draco, I was in a rough state of mind back then. I felt that I was to blame for Ron's death, I couldn't face myself, let alone face anyone else, and by the time I sorted my head out, the letters had stopped coming, and I thought, if I just left you alone, just left you to get over _me_, then you'd find someone else and you wouldn't hurt so much. That's what I thought anyway."

Draco placed his hands over Harry's and spoke softly. "I could never get over you."

Harry dropped his hands and took a step back from Draco. "I've changed a lot Drake, you realise that, don't you?"

Draco nodded.

"And I've got a whole different life as well."

Draco nodded again, and then spoke. "I don't care. All I care about, all I've ever cared about, is _you_."

Harry looked at him pleadingly. "I'm not sure that I can still love you…I care about you, always have…but I'm not sure if I can just…_go back_…to, to loving you."

"You loved me?" squeaked Draco. "Really?"

"Of course I did you bloody fool…all the way through seventh year…but I buried all those feelings so deeply inside me after…well, everything…that it may take some time for me to find them again, if I can at all."

"I'm prepared to try and find out," Draco smiled suddenly. "If you are. And if Hermione's speech is anything to go by, then she's prepared to help too."

"I think Hermione would be only too happy to have me stay permanently!"

"I'm for that!"

The two men laughed suddenly, their laughter echoing as the front door opened and filled the house with the fragrance of pizza and rich Italian sauces.

~~ ~~~ ~~

"You should phone Sirius, Harry." Hermione prompted. She was curled up in the chocolate-coloured suede chairs, her feet tucked under her. Draco was sprawled on the sofa with Lily, talking more about the Mummies and Artefacts that had fills their afternoon. Harry was in the other swinging chair, still spooning pasta into his mouth with relish, savouring every bite. "And anyone would think you haven't eaten properly in a month!"

Harry smiled through his mouthful, before swallowing and setting his plate down with a clatter, shrugging.

"Well you should!" Hermione was become more insistent, and Harry caught Draco in the middle of rolling his eyes.

"Give the man a break Hermi, he can do it in the morning…besides, it's late. Sirius would hardly want to be called now."

Hermione snorted. "Well, I see you two are already sticking up for each other again," she climbed out of her chair and grabbed the phone, thrusting it at Harry. "_Call him_, he'd want you to call. Lily, it's time for bed-" 

"Uncle Dray, Uncle Dray, read me a _story_!" 

"-One story and then sleep, you have school tomorrow. G'night Honey." Hermione kissed her daughter.

"'Night Mummy, 'Night Harry!"

"Good night Lils, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" Harry smiled at her.

"C'mon Princess, it's off the bed for you!" Draco swung her up, tucking her under his arm and trundling out of the room, laughing.

Hermione watched them go, a faint smile on her face.

"He's good with Lily," commented Harry.

"Mmm, don't know what I'd do without him," She shook her head, waking up. "But don't change the subject! _Call Sirius_…he's number two on the speed dial." She began to gather up the plates on the table and stack them.

Harry pressed two and, with shaking hands, bought the phone up to, listening to the ring. A male voice answer after the third ring and the rough tone said "Hello?"

"Hello…Sirius?"

"No, no, it's Remus." Harry took a deep breath, _Professor_. 

"Is Sirius there?"

"Yes he is…can I ask who's calling?" Remus was standing in the kitchen, flicking his wand while the plates washed themselves, Sirius in the other room, relaxing after the mountain of food that they had prepared, 'feeling fat' as he liked to say.

"Um…it's…it's Harry, Professor."

Sirius, sitting in their small, but comfortable lounge room, heard a sudden crash of plates from the kitchen, and he leapt up to sprint into the other room. He saw Remus, leaning against kitchen bench, holding his chest and gasping into the phone, pale at a ghost. The shattered plates spread around him, and with a flick of his wand, they were repaired and Sirius rushed to his lovers' side.

Remus struggled to stay conscious and Sirius could hear a voice saying on the line "Hello? _Hello_?"

"Where…are…you?" gasped Remus.

"Hermione's…I'm at Hermione's." Harry's voice was fogging up, tears creeping up on him.

Sirius wrestled the phone out of Remus' grasp and snarled into the phone. "Who _is this_?"

Harry stood up as Hermione walked back into the room, and she was startled to see the shattered look on his face, voice cracking. "Si-Sirius? Siri? It's Harry."

Sirius dropped the phone with a sharp clatter, his knees going weak as the sound of his Godson's voice and Remus grasped his hands and rasped a single word. "Hermione's."

Almost in unison, they raised their wands and both Disapparated.

~~ ~~~ ~~

TBC

~~ ~~~ ~~

****

Authors Notes:

__

Please R&R…I'd love to hear from you and any ideas that you might have, please pass them along…you can directly email me directly if you want. (If that link doesn't work let me know! My address is on my front page…I hate computers…!)

My thanks to my Beta Anna: my first reviewer and restorer of my faith in the human species as a whole (for reasons that she knows full well about!)

I also need to add that Harry's 'Golden Griffin' comes from Barb's _Harry Potter and The Psychic Serpent_, the first of her trilogy that she's writing. I'm also putting a huge plug in for it…it's absolutely brilliant. You can find it at FictionAlley and here on FanFiction (I think, but I've never actually looked for it here).

Also: Jess…I know you think I'm crazy, but y'know…you're just as crazy as me!

Also I'd like to state that at this stage…this fic doesn't _have a plot_…I just started to write it a week and a half ago, truly inspired by my immersion of Harry Potter. I've just started reading the entire series again…what can I say? I love it.


	3. A Reconciliation & A Revelation

****

Chapter 3  
_A Reconciliation & A Revelation_

A wise woman once told me  
that love is the most precious gift ever given to man.  
I disagree…  
the ability to love is the most important gift.  
- Hanna Crosby

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry was still staring into the phone blankly, Hermione's expression full of confusion when Sirius and Remus appeared out of thin air, making her leap back in surprise. Remus' knees buckled under him and Sirius struggled to keep them both up-right, his head whooshing from first Hermione's figure, right around the room to land on Harry's stark figure, standing there, one fist balled, the other hand still holding the phone.

Quick at lightning though, Sirius recovered, letting his hands fall from his lover and striding straight to Harry, enveloping him in a huge, bone-crushing hug, rocking back and forth like he was a child. "Harry, Harry, Harry,"

Hermione rushed to Remus' side, and helped him carefully up as Draco suddenly appeared in the room again, worry flickering to relief over his face. "Oh," he said, mildly. "It's you two. Come right on it, make yourselves at home. We don't mind. _Really_."

"Shuddup Malfoy," came Harry's breathless and muffled voice, and his hand reached out to thump Sirius' back, trying to get him to let him go. "Siri! Need…air…please let…go…!"

Sirius did let him go, reluctantly, looking at him in complete amazement. "You're…you're…"

"Here!" gasped Remus, finally sitting down with Hermione perched on the arm rest next to him, as he looked at his former student, and his former best friends son with disbelief.

Harry smiled weakly at him. "Yeah, I guess I am. 'Lo Remus."

Suddenly Sirius lost his temper. "Where in God's name _have you been_? Why haven't you _gotten in touch sooner_? Why, for fucks sake_ did you go away in the first place_? Dammit to hell and back Harry! What would your parents think?!"

Harry sighed, resigned, and he waved a hand, motioning for Sirius and Draco to sit down, as he started to pace blindly, mulling over his answer. "Do you want the ten minute version, or the movie length one?" He said thoughtfully.

"From the beginning I think Harry. Actually, no, start with why you're here-" Sirius waved a hand around the living room, smiling, for the first time at Hermione, who was still sitting next to his lover, rubbing his back in an attempt to calm him down.

"Well, I ran into Hermione at the Supermarket – literally ran into, I might add, when she ran her trolley over my foot-" he glared at her darkly. "-and even though I didn't immediately recognise her to begin with, she pinned me and proceeded to hug the life out of me in the middle of aisle five."

"Well actually," Hermione suddenly looked guilty. "I think I ran into you on Tuesday Harry." They all stared at her, Harry included.

"And you didn't _say_ anything?" scolded Draco.

"Well what was I going to say Dray? 'Oh, and I did the shopping, got soaked to the bone when my umbrella turned inside out, and I think I ran into Harry on the street while on the way to pick up Lily?' Come off it Dray, you would've thought I was crazy…hell, I thought I was crazy! It sounded totally _insane_ in my head and to top it all off, I wasn't really sure if it was _Harry_…come to think of it, I still don't." she turned to Harry, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It was you wasn't it…you were wearing, black trousers, long black coat…it was raining oh, cats, dogs, piranhas, bedposts and god knows what else and we ran into each other. You caught my satchel. Typical Seeker-like reflexes like no one else I can think of." She demanded, while Draco looked faintly put out.

Realisation dawned on Harry's face. "That was _you_? Omigod." he sat back, his face filled with emotion. She nodded. "_Fuck_. I didn't even _realise_."

"What would you have done if you did?" Inquired Remus suddenly, practically.

"I'm not sure…it would have been a tough call…I would have either high-tailed it back to London and taken my chances with Colin-" Hermione was the only one to get this joke, and laugh. "-or I would have obsessed about it for the next couple of days and either tracked you down, or convinced myself that it wasn't you."

"Probably the latter." growled Hermione.

"Probably." agreed Draco.

~~ ~~~ ~~

When Sirius and Remus Disapparated at nearly one in the morning, Hermione was quick to usher Harry into the lush guest room, decorated simply with Mahogany furniture, a dresser, chest of draws and bed, draped with dark red, velvet curtains. Harry fingered the drapes thoughtful, rubbing them between thumb and forefinger.

"Now, what about all your clothes and such? We'll have to go pick them up in the morning I suppose…where were you staying by the way?" Hermione was almost sleepwalking around the room, muttering to herself.

"At the Hilton…I always stay at the Hilton," brushed off Harry. "I'm fine for tonight, 'Mione, and I'll go tomorrow and pick up my things from the room tomorrow morning…I'll just say that they expect me back at the office."

"Good. Go-" she yawned deeply. "-oood."

Harry turned to her, a smile on his face. "Go to bed Hermione, please…this is just fine."

"Okay, okay," she walked across the room and reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Sleep well Harry. It's nice having you here."

"Mmm…" he watched her walk out and added, to the now-closed door. "It's nice to be here."

He pulled his shirt over his head and had just started on his trousers when there was a soft knock on the door, and it opened immediately, and Draco leaned against the door jam, smiling faintly. Harry's hands faltered slightly.

"I just wanted to say goodnight." Draco smiled, trying to pretend that the sight of his old lover half-naked was having absolutely _no effect_ on him…really it wasn't.

Harry smiled at him, nervously. "I can remember a time when you never used to _say_ goodnight Drake…you'd show me."

"My-my, how things change."

"Indeed."

They stared at each other for a long second, before both moving towards each other rapidly, draw together like magnets, the door closing softly behind Draco with a wave of his hand. They met in the middle of the room, hands roaming freely, mouths meeting in a hot, passionate kiss that seemed to drown itself as the flames were rekindled. Draco wasted no time in undoing Harry's trousers, letting them fall to the floor in a puddle at his feet, as Harry tugged at the sash of Draco's dressing gown, finding only boxers underneath.

Draco moaned throatily as Harry's hands slid beneath the waistband of Draco's green boxers, clasping his firm ass and drawing his hips towards Harry's own. Draco guided them quickly to the bed, and they fell onto it, their hands tangled between them, legs hopelessly tangled. Their mouths meshed together and their tongues danced hurriedly, a distinct memory, by all accounts that they had both given up for dead.

Harry drew back, perched over Draco and his chest heaved, one body in perfect alignment with the other and Draco smiled beautifully up at him.

"Do you feel this Harry? Do you feel how my body remembers you?"

~~ ~~~ ~~

****

My Body Remembers You – A NC-17 rated scene will be written separately and will be posted up soon. Stay tuned for this – poetic licence

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry awoke with a start, disorientated.

__

This isn't the Hilton, was his immediate thought, his eyes blurry with sleep, trying to focus on his unfamiliar surroundings. He rolled over, straight into Draco's arms and gasped, memories coming flooding back. But not of last night, not of the re-consummation of their, or what Harry supposed it to be, sort-of relationship. _Fuck me dead_, thought Harry, _he always was good with that mouth of his, wasn't he?_

He smiled suddenly, thinking of all the times in their last few months at Hogwarts, still very careful about who knew about their blossoming relationship, laughing in closed company, usually the Gryffindors, Draco's so-called friends being none to trusting of this more emotional Malfoy. He remembered stolen kisses in the Quidditch rooms and under the stands, he remembered the brief handholding under the Potions desks when Professor Snape decided to be malevolent again and pair them with each other to see what, or whom, would explode first. He remembered Draco sneaking into his dorm and crawling between the covers of his bed, and very, very quietly, they would kiss and talk and cuddle and kiss some more and make love and lay there, sweaty and spent, wrapped together, sleeping until the sun peaked in through the north tower windows and wake Draco, and he would steal away again.

The past suddenly crept up on him.

~~ ~~~ ~~

The inclusion of Draco Malfoy in the infamous Gryffindor trio was the topic of dormrooms and bathrooms everywhere. It was no secret that Draco had cut ties with his two 'henchmen' Crabbe and Goyle, and had also stopped entertaining rude remarks to the Gryffindors in general. In fact, Draco was down right nice. It was truly bizarre.

He still called Ron 'Weasley', but now it was more a term of affection, and Hermione had become 'Hermi', a pet nickname that even her two best friends didn't use, preferring to call her 'Mione. And Harry…he was Harry.

The four soon became almost completely inseparable…eating together, relaxing together, and since nearly all of their classes were together, working together. Draco, now no longer 'Malfoy', had his own room at Head Boy, an unlikely choice over Harry, but even Harry could admit that it was the right one, and Draco and Hermione became very close. Hermione said that Draco was the only one to understand her love of learning, of reading. Harry had his Quidditch and Ron had Chess – and his love of anything just-outside-the-rules. But Hermione? She had her books, and Draco understood that.

Draco also had Harry.

Not that either of them wanted to admit it though.

It was Hermione who first wormed it out of Draco. They were sitting up late in the common-room shared by the Head Prefects between their rooms and she had simply asked him "So, when did you finally realise that you were in love with a certain Mr Potter?"

You accompany that kind of question with her patent raised eyebrows…Draco was a goner, to say the very least.

He was still dodging his feelings for Harry, while the latter stayed blissful unawares of his new friends apparent lack of eloquence and composure in his company, let alone the nervous stammering and lowered-eyelids looks coming from next to him in Potions or Care of Magically Creatures. All in all, he had no fucking idea about Draco's feelings until Ron sat him down and told him the facts of life…after all, he himself had experience bringing at least one brother out into the rays of Gaydom…namely Percy, who consequently hooked up with Oliver Wood, much to the family's amusement. And Harry was like a brother to Ron, and Ron felt that it was his duty to his best friend to shine some illuminating light – and threw in a few neon arrows for good measure – on the situation.

Harry had been absolutely stunned.

He began to watch Draco…everything he said, everything he did, every glance in his direction…everything was catalogued and filed and stored and all of them pointed to one thing. Draco Malfoy was in love with him.

It first, it seemed just a little to surreal for Harry…a little too much of 'what the _fuck_ is wrong with this _fucking_ picture?!' He didn't know how to handle it…so he went to the only person that he could think of. And for once, this wasn't Hermione. He went and talked to Dumbledore.

It had seemed ultimately very strange at first. Harry paced Dumbledore's carpet so well that he felt like apologising for wearing a hole in it and he talked so much that he didn't think that Dumbledore got more than a dozen words in edge ways, but finally all of Harry's cards were layed out on the table. His fears on the war, on facing Voldemort again, about Hermione and Ron, and their safety, about his fellow Gryffindors, about his fellow classmates, school mates, teachers, Ron's family…_Draco_. How he feared for Draco, feared for Draco's life, his safety from his father, his unwavering refusal to join the Death Eaters…how he feared that he could not let himself be loved by Draco. About Draco _loving_ him…he could not get his head around that one fact.

After he had talked himself to a stand still, Dumbledore had regarded him, carefully, over a cup of tea, his sparkling blue eyes serious and melancholy. Finally, he had sighed, and spoken. "Sometimes it takes a great deal of bravery to face an enemy, Harry, but it will always take even more bravery to face the one who loves you the most."

Harry stared at him a moment, before thanking him and striding out, more confused now than when he went in.

And nearly two weeks later, Hermione and Ron formulated a plan, a plan that would have, under different circumstances, get them both killed, and considering who they were plotting against this was still an option…but they decided it was worth the risk. 

Ron had slipped Harry a sleeping draught, obtained from the twins, and managed to get him to Draco's room, enlisting the aid of Dean and Seamus. Hermione and Ginny nabbed Draco for some 'girlie talk', much to Draco's protestations, but finally released him, when Dean came to get Ginny, which was the signal for them to let Draco get back to his room. Seamus and Ron had managed, by that stage, to get Harry comfortable on the bed, making it seem like he'd fallen asleep waiting for Draco…all very innocent. Ron had slipped the other dose of sleeping potion into Draco's 'before bed Coco' – a ritual he knew of from Hermione. Draco came back to his room, found Harry asleep, drank his coco as he sat on the bed to watch Harry sleep for a moment before waking him and 'clunk!' – five minutes later was out like a light. Hermione had slipped back in with Ron, who had been hiding in her room, amongst other things, and together, they had rolled the two boys together and handcuffed their wrists together, looping the chain around a post on the bed-head. They had also left a note on the bed-head too, explaining themselves and praying to every God that they could think of that Harry or Draco wouldn't kill them for pulling this little stunt.

It had been Harry who had woken first, dazed from the potion and Draco's close proximity, but that soon wore off and melted into complete and utter shock. He shook Draco awake and demanded to know what was going on…he was sure that it was something he had done…but Draco denied all knowledge. When they finally discover the note, they were at first just a trifle angry, but soon realised that this wasn't going to be solved by arguing, they sat there, their hands cuffed together, and talked.

Harry talked about going to see Dumbledore, and Draco confessed that Hermione was his confidante. Harry told him that this whole situation was making him uncomfortable and nervous and Draco spat out that his feelings were so new and different that he wasn't sure which way was up anymore. To cut a long story short, they both ended up on the bed, still cuffed together, kissing like mad and conducting much whispering in husky, loving tones. They were still kissing in fact, when Ron and Hermione turned up to release them, with much giggling and teasing involved.

From that moment on, Harry Potter – Golden Boy of Gryffindor, Starlet Hero and Defeater of Evil on a Semi-Regular Basis – and Draco Malfoy – Prince of the Slytherins, Bad Boy Extraordinaire and Wicked Sex God – the two most shaggable boys at Hogwarts…only had eyes for each other.

They were inseparable.

It was absolutely _sickening_. 

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry smiled gently, rubbing his nose in Draco's silky hair, memories rushing through his veins like a powerful drug he couldn't get enough of. He nosed his way down, burrowing closer and closer to Draco's skin, nuzzling. He smelt sweet.

Finally, his lips found their goal, and he was waking his lover up with a light, but passionate kiss that seemed to drag slightly before he started to feel a response. Draco probed back, his tongue sliding into Harry's mouth, elegant and poised, weaving and retreating, tasting and teasing. Harry sighed inwardly, happy. Suddenly he pulled away, focusing on Draco's sated grey eyes blinking up at him.

"Y'know Drake…if someone had told me a week ago that I would be able to fall back into the lives of my best friends, and into the arms of my lover, so easily after so long…I would've said that they'd had too much Vodka and passed out at the thought."

Draco gave Harry a refined smile, his eyebrow arching up on his forehead. "Well, we've been hoping for so long to find you again. But I'm not saying we didn't give up periodically, because we did…frequently. But Hermione knew that you weren't dead, and I knew that I still needed you, and that some day, somewhere, you'd appear again. We've always had room in our hearts for you."

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry I left it so long."

"S'no problem…well not in my eyes anyway. Because you're well, you're _here_," he slid a hand down Harry's side smoothly. "And that's okay by me. I think that a few of the others might not be so quick to forgive, but they'll come around."

Harry's face fell. "Who?"

"Parvati for one, but she was always one for grudges…Pansy for another, but now that I think about it, she never liked you anyway," Harry laughed. "Seamus will be the typically Irishman and go completely through the roof for the first hour or so, and then sulk for the next few because he's been left out of the loop…_again_. Dean will notice, and not care one way or another…it takes a great deal to ruffle Dean's feathers anymore with the kind of patients he treats. Neville…_Christ_, Longbottom will probably have a heart attack at the sight of you. Lavender will smile sweetly and probably try and crack onto you in the first fifteen minutes," Draco growled under his breath. "And the Weasley's of course, will be shocked, but will welcome you back just as much as Hermione has, if not more. But none of them are getting _close_ to how I welcomed you…do you _understand me_?"

Harry pressed himself close to Draco, hearing the low threat in his voice, the fierce possession that Harry had loved about him before, turning the growl into a gasp of surprise, letting his fingers map out skin that hadn't lost its beauty over the past eight years. He knew every crevice, every line, every bone by heart, and their mouths meshed again, passion rising.

Draco rolled over, pulling Harry on top of him, wriggling in anticipation, mouth hot, skin cool.

Harry got to work on Draco's shoulder, burying his teeth in and flicking his tongue over the spot, marking Draco, claiming him. _Mine_, growled the lion in Harry, _mine_. Draco responded, wrapping his feet together in the small of Harry's back, feet pushing the sheet further down Harry's already uncovered back, parcelling himself into his lover, all skin and hands and panting tongue, feverish, moaning his name –

The door slammed open, and Harry, startled, tried to turn.

And fell off the bed with a crash.

__

This can't get any worse, he reasoned with himself…until he realised something.

He was naked. And aroused.

__

Shit! Bugger'it, bugger'it!

"Breakfast is ready," Lily's serene voice broke through Harry's mind-swearing-to-itself and his desperate attempts to find something to hide himself with. "Mum says you'd better get up before she has to come and get you up herself." She turned away calmly, the message delivered, and padded away with all the unashamed confidence of a seven-year-old.

Draco laughed, leaning over the edge of the bed and extending a hand to his embarrassed lover. "If she manages to get you up, I'm going to start worrying about your sexuality Harry."

"Oh shut up Drake…I'm twenty-six…wet paint could get me hot." Harry growled through his embarrassment, untangling himself from the clothes that he'd used to cover up his nakedness, and standing up, his erection a faint memory as he started to dress. Draco continued to laugh uproariously until Lily's voice called out to her mother as if Hermione was on Mars.

"Mummy! Uncle Dray and Uncle Harry were _naked_…_together_!"

"O-my-god." both Harry and Draco said at the same time, both imagining Hermione's reaction to this not-so-unpredictable outcome. _This is going to be interesting_, thought Harry, shaking his head as he dressed and prepared himself for Hermione's brutal line of questioning that would no doubt follow such an audacious proceeding.

Hermione was completely _ruthless_. Especially when it was concerning his love life.

__

Bugger'it!

~~ ~~~ ~~

TBC

~~ ~~~ ~~

****

Authors Notes:

__

Please R&R – I love feedback and I love ideas been thrown at me from any direction…anything can be useful, and any ideas coming my way will, of course, be properly thanked and credited. I'm a writer…it's what we do.

Huge thanks to my Beta girl Anna: for putting up with me.

My thanks to Phoebe - you're the best…and Blitz - you'll always be #1 in my books! That's also probably a major contradiction in terms…but hey! If you can't beat 'em…join 'em…and failing that, feed them to any piranhas that happen to be about!

Oh, also a thank you to my best girl "D" for the handcuff idea - even if she did give it to me without realising it and would be completely shocked at me for using it in such a context. I know, _I know_…I'm a bad, bad girl! 

And to Nicky, for the 'Lily interrupting' idea…even if the naked part was all mine! I think it's always advisable to keep them on their toes…don't you?

Any ideas or feedback: email me or press the button below…you all know how it works! – pl


	4. Return To The Burrow

****

Chapter 4  
_Return To The Burrow_

Now she wakes up to a brand new day  
will she give the very best that she can?  
Now she tells them all her master plan today  
and now she's worlds away.  
– Taxiride "Worlds Away"

~~ ~~~ ~~

Finally, it was time. Harry, snakes wriggling in his stomach, butterflies in his chest, he lined up with Hermione, Lily and Draco, ready to Floo to The Burrow.

Lily went first, with Hermione right behind. Draco and Hermione had already discussed that Harry should go third, with Draco bringing up the rear, _just in case_. Draco hadn't really thought it necessary, but now, seeing how nervous Harry was, he was glad on this added precaution, gripping the back of Harry's black shirt with one hand. Harry could not make a break for it without taking Draco with him, and Harry knew it.

He steadied himself, finally stepping into the flames, still aware of Draco's hand on his shirt, yelling "The Burrow!"

He was aware of the familiar sensation, the dizziness of the grates of many fireplaces whizzing past, before starting to slow down, vaguely aware of Draco's body pressed behind him. And then, in a great gust of ask and smoke, he tumbled out of the Weasley's kitchen fireplace.

There was no one there.

He and Draco looked at each other in complete confusion and Draco opened his mouth to speak when a beautiful woman walked through the door. She had very straight auburn hair, it brazed around her sapphire eyes, her glowing skin smattered with freckles just around the nose. She was tall and elegant. It was Ginny Weasley.

She stopped dead at the sight of them, and her eyes widened when the message that her eyes were sending her brain finally got through. 

"Harry!" she screamed in absolute delight and disbelief, as she raced across the kitchen quicker than lightning to fling her arms around him, almost knocking both Harry and Draco, who was still gripping his shirt, to the floor.

"Heya Gin!" laughed Harry, hugging her back fiercely. 

"You're here, you're here, you're here," she repeated quietly into his shoulder before drawing her face back to look at him with unsure eyes, turning to Draco for reassurance.

"Gin," Draco said quietly, as Harry continued to hug her to him. "It's really him."

Suddenly, from nowhere, Molly rushed forward, folding Harry and Ginny into her embrace, crying helplessly. Hermione was right behind her, smiling faintly. Draco leaned back and continued to watch this amazing family reunion.

Finally, Molly managed to untangle her daughter away from Harry and stepped back to survey him, a dangerous glint in her eye. She opened her mouth, but Harry abruptly cut her off. "I know Molly…I should have written, and I'm sorry…I don't need the lecture, Hermione and Sirius have already beaten you to it anyway-" she shut, and then opened her mouth again. "-I was in Australia, that's where I've been all this time, and I'm meant to be going back there in just over two weeks, but I promise you right now, I won't go away like that again, okay? I _promise_." He stared into the eyes of a woman, who, for six years of his life had been like a mother to him.

Molly stared at him, tears impending. "I've missed you Harry Potter. We all have."

~~ ~~~ ~~

Dinner was a riotous affair.

Fred and George, along with Fred's wife Angelina Johnson, turned up quite quickly, having walked out of a meeting when word came from their mother that Harry was back, alive, safe and sound. Oliver Apparated in a short time afterwards from Quidditch practice, and, as team captain of Puddlemere United, tried to talk Harry into trying out for Seeker within in first ten minutes. Harry told him he'd think about it. Percy and Arthur arrived late from the Ministry, Arthur welcoming Harry with a life-threatening hug and Percy pompously shaking Harry's hand for a good couple of minutes before Oliver distracted him with a kiss. Harry, who had never seen them together, found the whole thing utterly amusing. Draco sat next to him and gave him a running commentary on the Weasley World, and what everyone had been up to, or down to, since they last saw him. This lasted several hours.

Finally, after the food had all been eaten, and many of the Weasley's were drifting off to their respective homes, Harry finally asked the one thing that had been playing on his mind ever since his collision with Hermione in the Supermarket the day before.

"Where is he buried?" he asked Arthur quietly as they stood in the kitchen, their wands out, doing the dishes.

Arthur sighed. "In the cemetery just over the hill, underneath the biggest of the three trees. He would sometimes go out there, and sit under that tree for hours. I think it gave him a sense of peace. He'd go out there, look up at the clouds…it's where he would go to get away from the rest of the family. So it made sense that he was buried out there."

"Can I?"

"Go ahead…straight over than hill and keep walking in a near straight line through the trees…you can't miss it." Arthur patted his shoulder reassuringly.

Harry unlatched the door and stepped out into the cool of late evening, the wind was completely still and the moon shone down on his face. _Full moon_, pondered Harry, _Moony'll be out tonight_. He continued to walk until he was out of sight from the house, his long lanky figure fading into the distance.

He walked through the trees, feeling the silence rush upon him like a wave of fire, the undergrowth crackling under his feet, an owl hooting in the distance, low and haunting. He padded through the wood, his feet becoming more cat-like, the Animagus from inside him guiding him, his sense of smell sharpening and his eyes adjusting to the change in light.

Then he saw it. The gravestones seemed to grow out of the ground as he neared them, shadows long against the moons unforgiving embrace…it was spooky and unreal. His step faltered as he saw the solitary stone underneath the old yew tree, wide and beautiful, it's branches holding the air together and leaves glinting to a pale silver in the night. He stood in front of his oldest friend and smiled down.

~~

****

Ronald Arthur Weasley  
April 3, 1991 – May 29, 2008

__

a loyal son, brother, lover, friend  
loved by all who knew him  
fought, and died, as a hero

We Will Always Remember You

~~

Harry knelt down in front of Ron, and let himself cry.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Arthur Weasley watched Harry fade out into the night with a look of anguish on his face.

"Where'd Harry go?" asked Hermione sleepily from behind him. "Lily's practically asleep and Draco wanted to get going."

Arthur spoke with regret and pain. "He's gone to say hello to an old friend."

Hermione came to stand next to him, her eyes staring into the fast-approaching night, her brown eyes filling with tears. "I was wondering if he would."

They stood there, side-by-side, lost together in the past.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry was very quiet when he returned to the Burrow, hugging Ginny and Molly goodbye and they all promised to return later in the week. Lily was packed off to bed by Hermione, and Draco strode into the kitchen, Harry trailing behind him, to put the kettle on.

As the water boiled and he flicked his wand around for tea, mugs and sugar, he forced Harry into one of the counter seats, sitting down next to him elegantly, peering into his face. Harry looked lost, red-eyed and strangely calm. Draco could only think of one time that Harry had been like this…when Ron died all those years ago.

"You never really faced it before, did you?" he asked quietly, brushing the jet coloured hair away from his eyes with one finger.

Harry shook his head.

"I'm sorry Harry-love, I'm sorry for not being able to be there for you the first time…" Draco leaned over and Harry accepted his hug solely, his heart throbbing hard.

His voice was a whisper when it came. "It's okay Drake…I shut you out, it's not your fault. I just…didn't want to believe that he was gone, didn't want to feel how much I was hurting."

Hermione walked into the kitchen quietly, and saw the two of them sitting there, tea forgotten. They leaned into each other, one head dark, one head light, fitting together like missing puzzle pieces. She joined them cautiously and tentatively slid one arm around Harry's waist, leaning her cheek on his back, feeling the beat of his heart through his shirt. Draco extended his arms to wrap around her too and they leaned there, all together again, a many armed hug, seeking solace, and finding ultimate comfort.

~~ ~~~ ~~

TBC

~~ ~~~ ~~

****

Authors Notes:

Hey, you all know the drill by now…hit the button below and review it…and ideas are welcome too. Or, if you prefer, email me.

This entry is a bit 'sob!' but it had to happen sooner or later – and I don't like it. But hey…that's just my opinion! The next chapter's going to be a good one though…Harry's going back to Hogwarts for the day: featuring a surprised Fifth Form of Gryffindors, a fainting Professor and an irate Snape. Stay tuned…it will be up soon!

Thanks once again to Anna - she knows why.

Thanks to Kylie and Jamie for reading this – even if they did call me a typical 'girl' for writing something so bloody fluffy! 

Also: Angie – for making me write this.


	5. Home Is Where Hogwarts Is

****

Chapter 5  
_Heart Is Where Hogwarts Is_

Cling to time  
to rapid falling moments  
that weave together  
the tapestry of all things  
bright and beautiful  
to hand on our walls.  
- Claire Rodgers.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry dressed careful on Tuesday, trying to keep the rustling of his clothes down to an absolute minimum, aware for the fact that Draco was still fast asleep – _and snoring_.

He grinned to himself, straightening his collar for the thousandth time, giving his reflection a nervous smile…he'd never been so jumpy before in his life.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." came a groggy voice from behind him.

Harry whirled, and breathed a little easier to realise it was just Draco, propping himself up on his elbows.

Harry turned back to the mirror with a shrug. "I know," he brushed the invisible lint off his jacket sleeve and strolled out of the room faux casually, turning only to blow a kiss to Draco from the open doorway.

Draco leaned back luxuriously into the pillows. "Liar."

~~ ~~~ ~~

Hermione and Harry popped up in the middle of the relatively quiet Main Street of Hogsmeade, preparing to walk the short distance to Hogwarts. Hermione, as they walk in silence, noticed Harry becoming more and more apprehensive. Even more than he had been before calling Sirius, or seeing the Weasley's. He was _radiating_ fear.

"Harry," Her pretty tone was still in the air. "Stop _worrying_, you'll be _fine_."

"I'm not worried," The look Hermione shot him was nothing short of patronising. "Okay, so maybe I am. It's just…well…this is _Dumbledore_, y'know, _Dumbledore_."

"Yes, yes, I know perfectly well who he _is_, Harry, but the question remains…why are you so nervous about _him_? I mean, you weren't even this nervous with Sirius, and he's _family_."

"That's exactly it, 'Mione, he's _family_. Him and Remus, you and Draco, The Weasley's…you would all accept me back no matter how long I was gone, or what I've done in the past…well, short of going into the Darks Arts that is! But with Dumbledore…he's the one person I've looked up to ever since I became a Wizard…God, I don't know how to explain it 'Mione. Well, I suppose to put it simply, and please don't be offended by this-" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "He's the one person that I think that I really let down by disappearing. He's the one that I tried to push as far away as possible, because he is who he is, simply Albus Dumbledore. The most feared and most loved man that I think I've ever been graced to be in the same room with."

"_Christ_." Hermione swallowed deeply. "And they say I've got issues…I now bow down to the King of Complex."

Harry laughed half-heartedly before resuming his worried thoughts, trying to keep them from all tumbling out of his head at once.

"But Harry, no wait Harry, stop a minute okay?" Harry turned to face his once best friend and she gathered her thoughts quickly. "Look, Albus won't be angry with you. If anything, he'll be relieved…to see you alive and well, just like me and Dray were…he's been one of the only people who never gave up hope of seeing you again…because god knows everyone else did at one stage or another…but _Dumbledore_? His belief is you extended past everything…he's believed in you since the first day you walked into Hogwarts…through all our mischief and troublemaking, through all our fights and rule breaking, he _still_ believed. And I can remember a certain green eyed, black haired boy I used to know once tell me that this certain silver-bearded old man was his hero – and I always used to think that maybe that wasn't just the case. I liked to think that the other way around as well…that heroes, real ones, really do come in all shapes and sizes. Harry…you were so used to being the _hero_ that when you didn't have anything else to fight you had to go out and find yourself…in Australia – of all places! And I think Dumbledore understood that…right from the beginning, and he will be the most understanding out of all of us. Because I know that if I hadn't of hugged you in that Supermarket on Saturday, I most surely would've slapped you senseless!"

Harry smiled at her, all the way through her heartfelt speech, and then wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her ear. "I just realised, Hermione Granger, why I missed you so much!"

When they broke apart, Hermione rubbed at her eyes furiously, took Harry's hand and swung it casually, pulling him along behind her. "Come along Potter, we have old friends to catch up with."

~~ ~~~ ~~

The whole of the entrance hall went so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The many students mingling around the staircase had gone stock-still and silent, all eyes on Harry, who had just walked in.

Many of the students, especially the ones who haunted the rows of books in the library, were used to the sight of Hermione, who was still recognised as one of the smartest witches ever to grace the walls of Hogwarts (and then there was her encyclopedic knowledge of _Hogwarts: A History_)…but _Harry Potter_. Now there was something else _entirely_. Harry looked around, his expression caught somewhere between uncomfortable and amused.

"Well, nice to see the old place hasn't changed." he observed, letting his eyes wander across the walls.

"Mmm…including the looks that students are still given you!" grinned Hermione, teasing her best friend about the fame that he had found so annoying in their years here at Hogwarts. They ignored the gathered students, who were all starting to whisper behind their hands, huddled together in loose knots, or rushing off to find their friends, and walked up the stairs, walking though the familiar halls, saying hello to the paintings, most of whom, waved, or greeted them accordingly.

Three teenagers, obviously in a hurry, scrambled past the pair suddenly, muttering apologies as they skidded to a halt in the front of, as Harry remembered it, the Transfiguration classroom door. A few seconds later, Harry's suspicions were proved to be correct.

"Mr Richardson, Miss Carlton, Mr Jamieson, you should have all been here five minutes ago, am I right? Take your seats please, or I shall be forced to take points…and yes, Mr Richardson, I would take them from my own house, now sit please." A familiar voice could be heard.

Hermione leaned over to Harry and whispered quietly. "Another in-famous trio from Gryffindor…but they haven't been able to come anywhere near rivalling us yet!"

Harry laughed quietly, and then an idea sprung up quickly in his head, and he hurried to explain it, Hermione giggling like a first year.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Minerva McGonagall, aged slightly, but still as sharp looking as ever stood in front of her Fifth Year Gryffindors and sighed inwardly. Jack Richardson, Andy Jamieson and Ally Carlton sat in the front row, giggling and cracking jokes with each other, reminding her very strongly of another certain Gryffindor Trio that had caused her so much joy and pain and sadness. _We're down to just one of them now_, she mused, before reminding herself it was Tuesday, and that Dumbledore had invited her to take tea with Hermione and himself.

"Now then class, today we will be-" Minerva was suddenly cut off by a light, but impressive, roar.

Most of the class jumped, some of the girls screamed, and she stared down her glasses to take in the sight of this very impressive _lion_ stalking through her classroom, shaking its lovely, golden mane at the students, padding to the front of the room on its massive paws.

Jack Richardson was awed. "_Cool lion Professor McGonagall_."

Professor McGonagall spoke, her clipped voice was softened. "That, Mr Richardson, is no mere lion. _That_ is a Griffin…a _Golden Griffin_ to be precisely correct." She gave the Griffin a rare smile, before continuing. "And can you tell us the difference between a Griffin and a Golden Griffin, Miss Carlton?"

"A Griffin is a cross between an eagle and a lion, and a Golden Griffin is a cross between a griffin and a lion…making it mostly a lion, but with wings and the ability to fly." parroted Ally.

The Golden Griffin, as if it had heard this and understood, suddenly spread its huge wings, carefully avoiding knocking anyone out.

"Correct Miss Carlton, correct. Five points for Gryffindor. Now, can someone tell me what else is unusual about this particular creature in front of us?"

The entire class looked completely stumped, and even Ally Carlton's hand was down, sharing blank looks with her friends.

"Remember class, things are not always what they _appear to be at first_." The class mulled over this some more, as the Golden Griffin paced the floor, flicking it's beautiful tail, and watching the class with beautiful emerald eyes. Minerva McGonagall came to the front of her desk and did not take her eyes off the creature pacing in front of her class.

Suddenly, Katie Sheffield, in the back row, gasped, her hand stretching for the sky. "Professor McGonagall…it's an Animagus isn't it?"

Suddenly, the Golden Griffin was replaced by a tall, black haired wizard, with very green eyes and a very, very unusual scar. The class went into dumb shock, jaws dropping at every table. Harry smiled at Katie Sheffield before turning to Minerva, his smile getting even wider. "I think you were caught out on that one _Professor_…even Hermione wouldn't have got that!" his sharp ears picked up the squawk of righteous indignation from outside, presumably from Hermione.

Minerva folder her arms and looked so serious that after a few seconds, Harry became increasingly nervous. Finally, she spoke, not directly to him, but to the rest of the class. "Children, this is Harry Potter…yes, yes Mr White, _The_ Harry Potter…Defeater of Voldemort, Winner of the Triwizard Tournament, registered Animagus, legendary Gryffindor Seeker, and, with the help of certain _friends_, one of the worst trouble makers that have ever passed through the Hogwarts walls."

"Why Professor," grinned Harry casually, leaning on the edge of her desk, arms folded. "I never knew you cared."

"Potter, Potter, Potter…I have always, _always_ cared…despite what some people may, at this very moment, think." Minerva scolded him gently, smiling all the while.

"I stand corrected." Harry mocked bowed, graciously.

Suddenly, Andy spoke up from the front row, breaking out of his star-struck awe. "My older sister told me that you were dead."

Harry whirled towards him, his eyes blazing a little, before searching Andy's face, as if it were slightly familiar. His eyes flicked to the front of his Transfiguration book, which bore, on it's front, the name 'Andy Jamieson'. The name clicked. "My god, you must be Anna's little brother…" he spoke, dazed.

Andy's eyes widened. "You remember her?"

"Of course! She started in my Seventh Year…" he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I helped train her for Chaser that year…trying to build up the team before I left…how is she?"

"Fine…fine." stammered Andy, awed at being addressed to in such a casual manner.

"Well, Harry…as much as my class has enjoyed your little _interruption_, maybe it would be best if you wandered off and occupied your time elsewhere…I'm sure a certain gargoyle would be welcome of your attention. I'm sure if you gave it a Fizzing Wizzbee or two it would be most grateful." Professor McGonagall gave him a stern gaze. "But I'm sure I'll catch up with you later…lunch perhaps? I'm sure you would be most welcome."

"I'm sure," Harry replied delicately. "Sorry for the interruption, Professor, I will see you anon."

And with that, he changed back into his Animagi form and padded out, flicking his tail behind him.

Minerva shook her head, and then turned back to the class. "Now, who can tell me…"

~~ ~~~ ~~

Harry recounted everything to Hermione that had happened in the Transfiguration classroom, who was laughing so hard that she had to stop several times to catch her breath, and found himself, quite by accident, standing in front of the stone gargoyle. He sighed.

"May as well get it over and done with."

"Jelly whips." Hermione said confidently, and recoiled when the gargoyle didn't budge an inch. "But that was the password last week!" she said in desperation to Harry.

Harry stared at it resignedly. "Fizzing Wizzbee."

And the gargoyle jumped aside. He stepped through the entrance and went up half a dozen steps before realising Hermione wasn't following him.

"'Mione?"

Hermione's face came around the corner, gapping.

"McGonagall." Harry explained, relieved to see Hermione's face relax.

They continued up the stairs in perfect silence, half way up, Hermione took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. They stood outside the door together before Harry turned with a pleading look on his face.

"Do you mind, 'Mione, if I just go in alone. I think I need to do this…y'know, by myself."

Hermione looked at him with complete understanding. "I'll just go shall I?" she whispered. "I'll come back in say…half an hour?"

Harry nodded and she leaned up to kiss his cheek, waving goodbye as she wandered down the stairs again. Harry took a deep breath, prayed to what ever happened to be watching over him at this very second, and knocked.

~~ ~~~ ~~

"Enter!"

Harry pushed open the door and had the opportunity of setting eyes on Albus Dumbledore, who was facing the window off to the side of his desk with his eyes closed, long before Albus Dumbledore could observe him. Harry had never known Dumbledore as a young wizard…he had been old when Harry had been a student, but he was still shocked to see how much the great wizard had aged over the past eight years. The wrinkles on his brow were finer, the hands seemed thinner and his skin appeared to be almost transparent.

"So, how are you Hermione?" Dumbledore sighed, flicking his wand to make cups and saucers appear on his desk, eyes still closed. The only thought that Harry could grasp from the messed up muddle in his mind was _He's loosing his touch_.

"She's fine…and so am I." Harry's voice sounded like it came from very far away when he finally spoke, and he could hear a faint ringing in his ears, along with the drum like beating of his heart.

Dumbledore turned in his seat, his eyes opening slowly, the sparkle returning to them as he laid eyes on someone, or so it would seem to a casual observer, that he was undoubtably very fond of. He stood up slowly, and made his way around the desk, never taking his eyes from Harry's own.

"Harry. Dear boy…_Harry_," Dumbledore walked towards him, arms spread.

"Prof-Professor," Harry suddenly felt his resolve crumple, and suddenly he was in the arms of the greatest wizard still living, being rocked back and forth gently, crying like a six-year old. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

~~ ~~~ ~~

"Hello Professor Longbottom."

"Hello Sarah."

"Morning Professor."

"Good morning Michael!"

"Hi Professor."

"Hello Claire…how is that assignment coming along?"

"Well, thank you. Its due tomorrow isn't it?"

"Yes, indeed-"

"Neville!" Professor Longbottom turned, and smiled at Hermione racing down the stairs to greet him. The students twittered around him, unsure of how to handle their Professor being refereed to by his first name.

"Hermione! Gosh, is it Tuesday again already?"

"It must be if I'm here!" laughed Hermione.

Neville looked at her curiously…_there's something different about her today_, he thought to himself. "What's going on?" he asked suspiciously.

"What ever do you mean?" giggled Hermione, trying to act innocent.

"Well, let's see…usually at this time you're upstairs having tea with Dumbledore, but instead, you're down here, talking to me, and…_Hermione_…you're _glowing_! What's up with you? Have you found a new man or something?"

"Well," she started, batting her eyelids prettily. "You could say that…or you could say that I found an _old _man…and to go with your first point…Albus is otherwise engaged, he's having tea with foresaid old-slash-new man."

"What?" Neville looked confused, and seemed entirely natural to Hermione, who had seen him go through most of their years in this very building confused. "What? Wait, do you mean that you're new man is old, and having tea with Albus, or your new man is someone you've known a while, perhaps had a whirl with before, and is having tea with Albus?"

"The latter…minus the whirl." Hermione sent smile over his shoulder suddenly, _probably one of the cute seven years she's always checking out_, chucked Neville to himself.

"Right…well, I'm glad that's all cleared up." Neville looked relieved. "So…who is this mystery man, who's having tea, as we've already established, so it may seem, with Albus?"

"Um, well, how do I put this?" Hermione giggled again, and then put both hands on Neville's shoulders, turning him around. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Neville felt like he'd been punched in the stomach when he saw, what could quite possibly be, a sight that he would not forget until his dying day. Two of the greatest wizards alive, one old and wrinkly, one fresh and young, walking down the steps towards him, emersed in conversation. One was Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster and founder of The Order of the Phoenix. The other was Harry Potter, Defeater of Lord Voldemort and presumed dead by those who thought they knew him best, but being, as it were, very much alive.

"Harry?" Neville stared blankly up, thinking he was seeing a mirage, a ghost, an apparition.

Dumbledore saw him first, and smiled kindly. "How were your morning lessons, Professor Longbottom? Did the Ravenclaws try to outdo you again?"

Harry turned, a huge smile on his face. "Heya Nev!"

Professor Longbottom, Master of Herbology and devoted gardener, fainted clean away.

~~ ~~~ ~~

Neville was still inclined, in later years, to laugh at fainting at the sight of Harry again, and always offered up the same explanation. "I thought I was hallucinating!"

Hermione and Harry, on the other hand, found it hilarious from the beginning, and were forever teasing their old classmate and friend about it. And the students, of course, teased Professor Longbottom about it so much that he was still inclined to blush like an over-ripe radish when anyone mentioned anything remotely related to _fainting_.

"But at least we managed to revive you quickly!" giggled Hermione, as the three old friends ambled into the Great Hall together, with Dumbledore following close behind. The Great Hall went completely silent when Harry walked in, and he looked around nervously.

"Y'know, 'Mione…I think this whole staring-at-Harry-Potter thing has actually managed to get _worse_." Hermione laughed and Neville perked suddenly, his tone edging slightly.

"Oh-oh, red alert, Snape approacheth."

Harry could almost feel the backs of his neck bristle at the sight of the Potions Master sweeping towards them.

"Oh my, this will be interesting." grinned Hermione, falling back in line with Dumbledore.

"Indeed, indeed." chucked Albus.

"Potter," spat Severus Snape as he came to stand in few feet away from Harry, the students on all sides tuning into the conversation. "I see you have returned to _grace_ us with your _esteemed_ presence."

"So it would seem, _Snape_. And I notice that you're health and temper have yet to-" he coughed sarcastically. "-_improve_. But _please_, feel free to correct me…after all, you so did like to do so in my time here, and I would hate to deny you your simplest of pleasures now."

Severus sneered. "You know, _Potter_, one day your sarcasm will get you into a great deal of trouble, or kill-"

Harry interrupted him quickly. "-Killed? Mmm…I'm sure Professor Trelawney would be absolutely _delighted_ in agreeing with you _Professor_, after all, she was the one who spent five years predicting my _imminent_ downfall, and yet here I am…still waiting for the punch line." he shrugged, still smirking, an eyebrow raised. "Maybe you two should _get together_ and plot to kill me…then both your dreams would come true."

Snape glared at him furiously, and stalked past him, muttering under his breath.

Harry watched him go with an amused expression on his face, as whispers and giggles broke from the students on all sides, not including the Slytherins, who were all staring at Harry contemptuously. "Ugly git." pronounced Harry pointedly. Everyone within hearing distance exploded into laughter.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, and said "Y'know Harry…if you had done that as a student, Severus would have taken so many points from you Gryffindor wouldn't have won the house cup for four years running!"

Harry laughed. "Hey, once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor!"

"So it would seem," smiled Dumbledore, gesturing for the three young people in front of him to move across the hall to the staff table. "So it would seem."

~~ ~~~ ~~

TBC

~~ ~~~ ~~

****

Author Notes:

__

Please, please, please review…I like nothing better. Ideas are also welcomed…anything used will be accredited accordingly. Click the button below or email me.

Again, I'd like to thank Barb for the use of her idea to make Harry a Golden Griffin – it's ended up working perfectly in the 'surprise McGonagall' scene.

My thanks to Kylie and Alicia, two of my friends who are being much entertained by my latest hobby, they're reading over time. Also to my wonderful Beta - Anna.

I'm at a bit of a cross roads here…Introducing new characters, or tying this story up…hmmm, not sure. Oh, and the letter that Ron wrote to Harry (mentioned in Chapter 2) will be posted up as a separate chapter soon – it may take me a while to write it.

Stay turned. pl


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